Molecular speed and temperature

AI Thread Summary
A hypothetical air filter that only allows faster-moving air molecules to exit and slower ones to enter would create a temperature imbalance, cooling the inside of a house while heating the outside. This scenario directly challenges the second law of thermodynamics, which states that entropy in a closed system cannot decrease. The concept is reminiscent of Maxwell's demon, a thought experiment that illustrates similar thermodynamic principles. However, it is concluded that such a filter cannot be constructed in reality. The discussion emphasizes the impossibility of violating established thermodynamic laws.
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Imagine a special air filter placed in a window of a house. The tiny holes in the filter allow only air molecules moving faster than a certain speed to exit the house, and allow only air molecules moving slower than that speed to enter the house from outside. What effect would this filter have on the temperature inside the house?
 
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Google for "Maxwell's demon".
 
Essentially, this filter violates the second law of thermodynamics by cooling the house and heating up the outside, even if it is already warmer outside than inside the house. This is very similar to a thought experiment known as "Maxwells Demon", as mentioned by Nugatory.

Essentially, there is no way to construct such a filter.
 
Thanks :-) both of you
 
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